Lo Jik looked around, observing an archaic hall supported with blue-bronze exquisite pillars. Anxiety thickened with every breath inside this desolate hall. He only saw two living beings, but among them, only one of them looked back.
That figure remained on the floor, his expression dazed. Even after noticing Lo Jik, he diverted his attention to a different matter.
Even as Ba Gui Land Spirit felt anxious over their survival, transmitting Bai Ning Bing's battle with Shang Mi Zhu over to Little Vegetable King, Lo Jik remained unmoved and detached.
'A dream?'
Lo Jik furrowed his brows. He couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh. That sense of chaotic guilt and confusion did not bother him here, allowing him to recall everything and speculate what caused him to break down in such an unprecedentedly dangerous and crazed fashion.
'But this doesn't feel like a dream.'
Lo Jik moved. He had enough experience with dreams to distinguish between them and illusions. His current surroundings felt too real and less chaotic. It was the same as viewing someone else's memory related to observing Bai Ning Bing and Wu Ji's last stand.
Ba Gui paid Lo Jik no heed. He continued to stuff Little Vegetable King's first aperture with gu worms before planting the immortal gu worm on his body.
'Is this real?'
Lo Jik was surprised as he moved closer to his former vegetative self. Well, calling him a vegetable would be wrong. Even when his soul was injured, Lo Jik's circumstances did not deteriorate to that extreme extent. He was merely paralyzed.
He crouched down, face-to-face with his past self. Currently, Little Vegetative King's vision was filled with the scenes of battle. Bai Ning Bing's body reached its limits.
Lo Jik reached out with an almost childlike innocence. His index finger gently wiped the tear drop leaving the corner of Little Vegetable King's eyes.
'Did I cry back then?'
Lo Jik didn't feel surprised by the fact he cried. He did not have an emotional range of a potato and could feel grief and was capable of mourning someone. However, he couldn't recall these tears.
Yet, they felt… real.
As Lo Jik's index finger touched that tear drop, his mind was flooded with strange memories and emotions.
Guilt, confusion, hatred, pain, loss, and so much more!
Despite what he felt, Lo Jik didn't break down. What happened in Reincarnation Battlefield around Jiu Loong Long was too unnatural. Even this cocktail of emotions did not crack his mask as he savored each droplet with an exploratory intent.
'These are my tears.'
Lo Jik confirmed. His gaze experienced a subtle shift.
'And I forgot.'
Lo Jik sighed softly as he ruffled his past self's hair.
"Were you truly sad?" He asked no one in particular. This wasn't the real world. It was someone's memory. Was this memory the reality? Then why did Lo Jik forget? His body was refined, and his mind was filled with modified thoughts. This event also did not occur hundreds of years ago. How could he forget something so… true and real?
"Or were you acting?" Lo Jik smiled knowingly, his gaze filled with cold mockery. "Do you have any right to shed tears after leading everyone into this mess?"
Lo Jik shook his head.
He felt incomparably calm. Those tears did not confuse him anymore. Instead, they cleared away a patch of doubtful and confusing fog around his heart.
"What else did I forget? How can I trust my memory if I didn't even remember something so recent?"
Lo Jik's surroundings changed with that.
<<<>>>
"Eh? He still isn't dead," He Bang muttered as he watched the humongous Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra coil into a dark and distinctive mountain! Its massive reptilian body was layered with shadowy tiger stripes and on its body were hundreds of gu worms.
Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra was a desolate beast. Similar to how a Beast Emperor matched a rank 5 gu master's battle strength, a desolate beast was comparable to a rank 6 gu immortal. As an enslavement path gu immortal, He Bang was an expert in raising desolate-level snake beasts. Heavenly Informant contacted him to create this set-up, ensuring Lo Jik's demise.
After all, inside Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra was a pool of corrosive acid capable of reducing rank 5 defensive gu worms to nothing. Jiu Loong Long died within a few breaths, reappearing near Wind Cloud Manor's camp before gazing at the mountain-sized coiled cobra with great trepidation.
Its appearance bore massive pressure and suffocation on all Spirit Affinity House's disciples.
"Hmph!"
Bai La suddenly snorted and attacked the formation again. She also noticed Lo Jik's vital status and tried saving him. She received First Supreme Elder's message. No matter how strange that elder's command was, Bai La was in no position to contest the order of maintaining the status-quo. However, they had to make visible effort in retrieving Lo Jik or the opponents would suspect Spirit Affinity House's motives.
Heavenly Informant also made a move, smilingly protecting the formation.
"Do not feel anguished over one demonic gu master, Fairy Bai. With our objectives accomplished, we see no reason to trouble your sect any longer."
Bai La and Mi Yao glanced at each other before they grew stubborn.
"Gu Yue Lo Jik is our sect's disciple. Do you think we will turn a blind eye to such schemes? To think you would use a desolate beast for one mortal… hehe… makes me wonder if we should start doing the same."
Bai La smiled coldly, attacking the formation again.
Mi Yao followed the lead and attacked the formation from the other side.
A trace of severity flashed across Heavenly Informant's eyes.
He contacted He Bang.
"How long will it take to kill Lo Jik? He will be in our grasp the second he dies. The longer we wait, the more effort and cost all of us will bear to keep the formation from being destroyed. Once the formation is broken, we won't be able to retrieve Lo Jik."
He Bang was also startled.
"It must be a rare gu worm capable of dealing with poison path methods. We just have to stall."
Heavenly Informant frowned and glanced at the mortals.
He sighed internally, but his words were laced with cold fury.
"You two forced our hands."
He scoffed as the four mortal elders received alerts from their respective gu immortal before they arranged their armies and launched attacks on Blue Saint Fog Camp.
Meanwhile, He Bang also used his investigation killer move as the event inside his desolate beast's stomach drew a gasp out of him.
"What killer move is that?"
He cried out in shock, attracting others' attention.
*Boom*
*Boom*
*Boom*
The enemy attacked Spirit Affinity House from all sides. Shu Zhe's heart only grew colder as her body moved on its own, commanding her disciples in a composed manner. Her orders did not become less wise even if they weren't her words. Spirit Affinity House managed to defend bravely. Deep inside, however, Shu Zhe only felt the stranger's glee. It was having fun. It enjoyed tormenting Shu Zhe and Lo Jik.
She was forced to witness the future.
Lo Jik would die inside the desolate snake's stomach, soon dissolved by its corrosive acid—
*Thud*
The flurry of brilliant, ground-shaking attacks left no place for muffled thuds echoing through the depths of Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra. The mountain-sized desolate beast coiled tighter, its slight movement causing the nearby surroundings to shake as if struck by a calamity.
Shu Zhe heard that muffled noise.
It was a cry of outrage.
*Thud*
Hope replaced the third party's source of glee in Shu Zhe's guts.
Far away in Hu Immortal Blessed Land, Qin Juan stopped crying and looked up from Feng Jin Huang's embrace. Even she stopped feeling this mess of emotions. However, unlike others, she focused on the desolate beast's slightly hidden spot.
"Are you feeling well, Senior Sister?" Sun Yao instantly asked with concern, the corner of her eyes also warm and wet when she saw the desolate beast devour Lo Jik. After all, the latter had been good friends with everyone. He was a social monster capable of worming his way into almost everyone's lives.
"Yes." Qin Juan nodded, feeling strangely hopeful.
"Look there."
She pointed out, directing a cold Feng Jin Huang's and tearful Sun Yao's attention onto the desolate beast.
"That is…"
Feng Jin Huang's eyes widened.
<<<>>>
*Chhk*
A poorly made shovel stabbed into ground drenched with blood. The soil had turned red, and the chill of death replaced Qing Mao Mountain's spring-like freshness. The long stretches of bamboo groves were replaced with piles of dried corpses.
"We barely survived the earlier assault. Those blood bats and worms will get to us soon."
A white-haired woman with peerless features drawled, assaulting Lo Jik with tides of recollection.
"Bai Ning Bing…" He muttered, ignoring the quiet figure digging for soil. Lo Jik walked around Bai Ning Bing, scrutinizing her. She was unaware of his presence. He restrained himself from touching her hair. His fingers itched to stroke her cheek. And Lo Jik suppressed the wild urge to pin the bitch down and drive her mad with hours and hours of disciplinary lessons.
However, all his emotions summed up into a soft sigh as he looked away.
"She is right," Lo Jik muttered as he walked up to the quiet figure.
It was a young Lo Jik. The duo survived Lord Sky Crane's and First Gen Gu Yue's battle and even gained great profits.
"But why was I so obstinate?"
"Why the hell are you being so stubborn?" Bai Ning Bing had the same doubt as she sauntered over, passing through Lo Jik as if he didn't exist before reaching the digging Lo Jik. But her expression froze when she saw the young Lo Jik.
"What is it?" Lo Jik grew curious. What could leave Bai Ning Bing feeling so complex?
He also walked over as he observed the young Lo Jik carefully letting down Shen Cui's corpse into the hole.
The young Lo Jik looked lost. He was in a daze and did not feel disgusted by Shen Cui's horrifying injuries. Instead, his expression was contorted with confusion and sadness the second he lost physical contact with Shen Cui's corpse.
Remorse, sadness, and more powerful urges suddenly rushed into Lo Jik. Again, his expression did not crumble, and his heart did not shatter because of these painful emotions. Memories of this moment flooded his mind.
'I forgot this moment.'
Lo Jik's gaze turned dull.
'How could I forget? I… I genuinely liked Shen Cui after she pulled that stunt. I didn't care about her before at all. She was merely a means to an end. I was also willing to move on from her and leave Gu Yue village until I saw the state of her corpse.'
Bai Ning Bing and Lo Jik were quiet as they watched the young Lo Jik carefully cover Shen Cui with a strip of dirtied and bloodied cloth before filling the ditch with soil.
"How can you care for a mortal?" Bai Ning Bing questioned as Lo Jik looked up, blinking.
"Care?" the young Lo Jik smiled. "What gave you that idea?"
'He forgot.'
As he forgot, he entered the muck of unresolved remorse, which he believed to have moved on from. Meanwhile, the Lo Jik who learned the truth felt even calmer.
Losses weren't unacceptable to Lo Jik. The existence of benefits came with risk of losses.
Now that he knew he felt remorse, he could accept the truth and learn more about himself.
'But is it still me?'
'Remorse?'
"Me?"
Lo Jik touched his chest.
He sighed softly.
"I would have taken Shen Cui along if I knew better. The road ahead was indeed dangerous. Bai Ning Bing and I almost lost our lives. Shen Cui's chances of survival were low. But, so what?"
"Why didn't I give my all?"
"There is no place for regret if I gave my best. Unfortunately, I didn't. And I deluded myself into believing that I did."
His surroundings changed again.
<<<>>>
*Thud*
A tiny section of the desolate snake bulged out. It was minuscule compared to its huge body. However, Shu Zhe could hear that raging roar and powerful impacts even from this distance. The mad glee and excitement vanished. Her puppeteer suddenly lost interest in her, allowing Shu Zhe to breathe freely before she quickly recollected her composure and looked around.
'There is a chance.'
Shu Zhe realized.
'Everything followed some powerful entity's blueprints, but this is new. Something changed.'
Hope reignited in her heart as Shu Zhe took control of the situation before releasing several killer moves at once, shocking the surrounding army!
Her killer moves instantly attacked the opponent's mind, leaving them a mess.
"Attack!"
Shu Zhe commanded.
"They may have numbers but how many gu worms could they have procured? As long as we kill them enough times, their supply of gu worms will run out! Open up the supply hall for every disciple!"
The sudden motivation and reward raised Spirit Affinity House's disciples' morale to an unprecedented height as they went all out!
Meanwhile, the desolate beast cobra felt even more uncomfortable and irritated.
Bai La suddenly attacked, stopping He Bang from preparing a healing killer move.
"What do you think you're doing?" She laughed lightly.
"Get out of my way, Bai La!" He Bang growled.
"I refuse!"
She grinned sharply before interrupting him again.
"Hehe! Very good. You guys prepared too well. But that is the extent of your manipulation."
*Thud*
The tiny bulge grew out like a tiny tumor.
The desolate beast cobra's scales were tough, requiring gu immortals to take action to kill or capture it. However, its insides were soft.
The desolate beast cobra couldn't hope to digest a mad gu master with Great Strength True Martial Physique.
*Puchi*
A white, glowing claw pierced through the bulge. This arm was made entirely out of strength qi.
"If he cannot be digested then he can be crushed."
He Bang's expression changed as he quickly commanded the desolate beast to tighten—
The very same claw kept the desolate snake from tightening, its sharp nails unexpectedly clutched into the tree-sized shadowy scales and piercing them from the outside!
*Chhk*
*Grr*
Another hand tore through the desolate cobra's insides, making it hiss in irritation. Desolate beasts possessed great vitality. Even when injured from the insides, they could heal with time even without gu worms. The current injuries were no different from an ant biting through the cobra's flesh. Irritating? Yes. Fatal? No.
A white flash shot out of the wound, quickly leaving the snake's body as droplets of corrosive acid splattered on the ground, causing smoke to rise with a sharp hissing noise from the points of impact alongside a disgusting stench.
*Grr*
"Is that Killer Move…"
Shang Mi Zhu's gaze glimmered with recognition. He belonged to a super clan from Southern Border. The Shang Clan thrived on trade, and trading information was one of the cornerstones of their business connections.
Shang Mi Zhu had access to a lot of knowledge, and he recognized this killer move. He came across its information as he researched other paths and learned about outstanding gu immortals before his time.
"Do you know about this killer move, Brother Shang?" Heavenly Informant asked, his eyes glued on the horrifying figure.
"It looks slightly similar." Shang Mi Zhu confirmed, his brows furrowed. "A rank 7 strength path gu immortal going by the title of Imaginative Strength once used such a killer move. But the depictions and information about his killer move ascertained its value as a top mortal killer move. What Lo Jik is using might look similar, but it is too unstable. I suppose Gu Yue Lo Jik inherited a bastardized version of it."
Heavenly Informant nodded.
The contents of an inheritance either improved or degraded the more times it changed hands. It was possible that Lo Jik could not comprehend the proper top-quality killer move. And even if he did, it was unlikely for him to use it because most topnotch killer moves used by gu immortals involved hundreds of gu worms. Bai Shou couldn't support its use.
A draconic cry interjected their musing as the surrounding battle came to a halt. A figure surrounded with strength qi attracted everyone's attention.
Although fifteen meters tall, the glowing giant could not match Desolate Shadow Scale Tiger Cobra's size. This glowing giant was covered in scales, its limbs extending into draconic claws as a fierce water dragon's head replaced the giant's head! Within the glowing, mist-like strength qi floated an insane Lo Jik. He was covered in burns but his flesh steadily regenerated. He kept laughing as tears continued to flow freely from his eyes.
A long reptilian tail grew out of the giant's back. But on the surface of this tail, above the many scales, were several faces.
These faces resembled Lo Jik.
Some faces were crying silently.
Some faces were laughing.
Some had their expressions twisted with hatred, and others looked filled with endless guilt.
It was horrifying to look at.
Even the dragon's head did not look dignified. Instead, it was twisted and malformed. The two horns grew from different positions on the head instead of the start of the forehead. Long whiskers floated from the eye sockets, and one could see several eyeballs embedded into its sharp sword-like teeth when the giant strength path apparition roared at the sky.
The cobra let out a sharp hiss, its voice spreading throughout the formation. It faced the insane Lo Jik as if encountering its natural enemy, its hood spreading open, capable of masking the sun itself!
"Hehehehe! Hahahahaha!"
Lo Jik kept laughing. But his reactions did not translate onto the giant phantom. Instead, the dragon-man phantom suddenly turned and ran!
Instincts!
Lo Jik's body moved strangely, devoid of his earlier grace and technique. The desolate beast snake instantly followed Lo Jik as they departed the battlefield.
Shu Zhe watched them leave and did not appear worried.
Worrying wouldn't solve her issues. But defeating the enemy would.
"Maintain the offense!" She ordered as the battle resumed.
<<<>>>
"How can this person be me?"
Lo Jik wondered for the umpteenth time. He replaced the Tie father-daughter duo right after Gu Yue Village successfully defended against the worst of the wolf tide. Before him sat a desolate figure, quietly holding onto a deceased Mo Yan.
"I remember her death clearly."
Lo Jik spoke to the quiet figure. "I recall that bout of sadness."
"But did I really look like you?"
Lo Jik saw himself for the first time.
There weren't appropriate words in existence to describe the look on his younger self's face. Instead, he felt the emotions endured by his younger self.
Mo Yan's demise wasn't something Lo Jik could forget. He was confident that there would be nothing more to it.
'Did I really move on so quickly?'
Lo Jik endured an indescribable heartache. He realized why his heart wasn't broken… in reality, when was it truly fixed and proper?
The young Lo Jik just held his first wife. The warmth in his eyes could not hide the storm of confusion that suddenly disappeared, deluding him into believing he had become whole.
'I forgot.'
Lo Jik's bottom lip wobbled as he clutched his chest.
"I forgot so much."
His voice was ripe with emotions.
"I'm sorry about your parents, Williams."
Lo Jik snapped out and looked sideways. The location changed again. He watched Williams on the bed with Nina.
"My parents?" Lo Jik furrowed his brows. "What about them?"
But the two on the bed did not continue the topic as Williams' expression shifted before the intense emotions in his heart at the mention of his parents disappeared.
"My parents…"
Memories resurfaced.
When his past selves forgot something, it was around the same time Lo Jik remembered the truth.
"How could I forget?"
Lo Jik's face turned pale.
"Why did I forget?!"
He gritted his teeth as grey mist flooded his vision before parting a small hole in the front. Lo Jik could look through this hole.
Two bodies engaged in lustful activity. The man bore a striking resemblance to Williams as Lo Jik felt sick to his stomach for some strange reason. It wasn't the fact that his father was engaged in a marital affair. Instead, there was a sense of foreboding. The memories took their time as Lo Jik suddenly recalled himself being present!
'There!'
Lo Jik gazed at the slightly opened door. A pair of eyes watched everything from the discreet opening.
Mist flooded the opening before clearing again, allowing Lo Jik to revisit another memory.
"You can't tell your mother about this, sweety."
Williams' father firmly patted his shoulders. The boy was no older than six.
"You awakened your trait, right? I know, I know. I'm not asking you what it is. As I said, it's a good habit to keep your trait a secret. But what I did was also due to my trait, son. I… I have to look for others."
"You should tell mom." Williams shrugged innocently. "She'll understand the reason, right? It's because of your trait."
"No!"
His father shouted in panic as his grip tightened, causing Williams to yelp in pain.
Snapping out, his father eased his grip and spoke seriously.
"I know about your mother's trait, sweetheart. You cannot tell her for any reason."
Lo Jik remembered his choice.
"I told the truth."
He muttered as the fog covered the opening for a few seconds before revealing another scene.
"Hehehe! Motherfucker!"
Williams' father kept beating his son with a crazed look.
"Why didn't you listen? Why doesn't anyone listen?! That bitch thinks her trait matters the most? What about my trait? My needs?!"
Williams had already lost his strength. His face was bleeding from many cuts and there were several broken bones in his body.
Suddenly, Williams' father jerked back and let go of the boy, crying profusely.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
He turned around as his bloodshot eyes met Lo Jik's cool and composed brown hues. Walking forward, the father-son pair was face-to-face. His father's face was inches from the small opening in the mist.
"It is truly your fault."
He glared hatefully. However, no emotions rippled on Lo Jik's face.
The mist shifted the point of view, revealing Lo Jik's father was glaring at a female corpse. She looked pale and delicate, her back against the kitchen counter as she remained motionless in the pool of her own blood. Her wrist was slit open.
"Your trait makes you crazy and obsessive! But why did you do this in front of our son?" The man reached out, choking the corpse's neck.
"I loved you! You venomous bitch! I lived through all your torture! I accepted you!"
He suddenly let go of her neck before holding the hand still wrapped around the bleeding knife.
"You like this, don't you?" Lo Jik's father raved.
"You like hurting me. You like hurting our son. Hehe, but he also deserved it. That little shit only had to keep his trap shut!"
The man suddenly tugged the hand holding the knife against his chest as the mist exploded out!
"So, you do get it."
Gold seeped through the mist as Lo Jik unconsciously followed the familiar voice before encountering mist-like phantoms of Nina and Williams holding each other.
"Meh." Williams smirked.
"Come on." Nina teased with a mischievous look as both Williams and Lo Jik smiled fondly. However, where Williams' eyes brimmed with a strange and unfamiliar emotion, Lo Jik's were filled with grief because he knew how things were going to end.
"Fine!" Williams drew a tired sigh. "You win. This isn't so bad. And I'm not saying this because of my trait."
"One of these days I'll have you spill those beans, too." Nina stood on her toes as she looked up with expectations in her golden eyes.
"I'd love to see you try."
Williams grinned as he leaned down.
Things changed the first time they kissed. Lo Jik was filled with utmost satisfaction that drove away all his frustrations. However, he watched keenly as the couple's expression shifted.
"Here. My trait lets me get rewards for the women I sleep with. I got this by kissing you."
A light between Williams' brows flashed before revealing the Scepter of Might.
Williams panicked and Nina was no better. Things turned for the worse when they glanced at each other.
"Your trait?" Williams asked. "Wait. I just saw myself kissing you. Does your trait transmit images and videos to others, too?"
Nina paled.
*Bang*
The couple glanced at the door as someone rushed it like a wild bull.
"You bastard!"
It was Kenny.
Williams always knew the dude had a thing for Nina, but why would that have stopped him? However, Nina was unaware of how rapidly things escalated in these matters, unlike Williams, who happened to be an expert.
"Wait, Kenny!" She stepped forward, trying to stall the man as Kenny panicked.
"Get out! My trait doesn't control the speed!"
"Too late."
Lo Jik muttered with strange detachment as he watched the holy knife pierce Nina.
Williams acted instantly, knocking Kenny out before quickly getting to Nina.
Others were already filling the room. The scene of their make-out was transmitted to everyone.
"Move! Move!"
Archbishop Wang walked in with a terrible expression. He instantly called for healers and removed others from the room. Even after tossing the scepter of might in Williams' hand a look, he did not say a thing.
"It's not going to work…"
Nina spoke weakly.
"Holy blades are poisonous. Heh… this pain sucks…"
"Stop talking." Williams didn't lose his cool despite the rush of emotions Lo Jik experienced. He forgot this, too.
"No… it's no use… say, Willy… What if I asked you to kill me?"
She smiled softly, repeating a dialogue from one of the movies they watched together.
"Stop talking!" Williams gritted his teeth as his eyes turned wet.
"If I say no, would you force me?"
"Of course, not! Now, stop talking!"
Williams held Nina's hand tightly.
"Please." He begged.
"I love you. Truly! So, sorry to make you see something so terrible… But I'm sure you will move on. Remember? You said it… you always adapt… Please, move on again…"
And Lo Jik felt Williams' emotions enter a strange pit, never to return.
"She's gone, son. You need to leave, too."
Archbishop Wang patted Williams' back.
"Leave her funeral rites to me. But others saw you holding the scepter of might. It's a long-lost artifact. They'll soon burst in to capture you and use the reasoning of sullying the sun priestess' purity."
Williams suddenly stood up. His tears dried rapidly.
"Willaims?" Archbishop Wang called out in surprise as the latter stopped and glanced back.
"Yeah?"
"Are you alright, son?"
"Oh, huh. I am. By the way, I know how things will end. Church of Glorious Sun is the single-most powerful entity after the rebels took down the world federation."
Pausing, Williams smiled slightly.
"I'll email you my address, Archbishop Wang. I got a treasury of rare materials. I even own two helicopters and a tank. They're vintage. Sell them and raise enough money for the orphanages you visit."
"What happened to you?"
Williams heard Archbishop murmur under his breath.
"Nina's dead," Williams replied coldly. "So, I'm just moving on. I wonder if I'll truly get to enjoy a new life."
'Enjoy?'
Lo Jik sneered.
Sure, the gu world is a hoot and a half.
He also got his answer.
'It was me all along.'
He walked the path covered in mist.
"I cry. I feel sad. I have remorse, and I despise regret. Truly, I do not regret Nina's death. It was a strange accident. But how could I forget everything else?"
"Was I so used to pretending that I made myself believe everything was fine? That not even recalling anything about my parent's suicide was reasonable?"
The mist around him grew thin as clarity returned to Lo Jik.
"Someone on the outside made use of my confusion. I was incomparably weak! But the major problem was on the inside."
"And yet, I was even fortunate enough receive this chance to heal myself and get rid of this weakness?"
"Is there truly someone so caring who would do all this for me?"
Lo Jik knew the answer as he stopped in front of a young Williams.
The boy was huddling in the corner, crying his eyes out.
"It's because of you," he spoke tearfully. "Why did you tell mom? Why did you fall in love with Nina? Why did you use Mo Yan and Shen Cui? Why did you leave my son? Why? Why did you lead Bai Ning Bing to his death?!"
He turned around. Despite the boyish features, his expression was riddled with pain, hatred, and vile mockery.
Lo Jik smiled gently.
"Move aside. You're blocking my path."
Little Williams' growled like a beast before pouncing at Lo Jik.
"It's your fault! Your fault!"
Lo Jik grabbed the boy by the neck as the latter wailed and cried.
"Please! Just help me! You caused so many people pain, including me. Look into yourself, Williams. Help me and I will also help you. I'm protecting you! Don't go any further."
"Protecting me?" Lo Jik's smile grew aloof. "You? A pitiful thing who passed out from pain and the sight of two dead people?"
Williams' expression turned feral.
"They were my parents!"
"They were two peas in a pod."
Lo Jik chuckled, feeling at a strange ease.
"Didn't you hear me the first time? You're blocking my path."
"Path to what?" Williams also laughed coldly, his expression terrible. "Path to success? Do you think you will ever get such a luxury? You are a toy, Lo Jik! Open your eyes!"
"Path to success…" Lo Jik fell in a daze before his smile turned dazzling. "Yes. It is also a path to success. Dying after completely comprehending oneself is also interesting. It's nothing short of a success."
Williams' expression changed.
"Please," he begged softly. "Don't do this. Don't you see? I exist because I love you! I helped you move on! You would be a mess without me!"
Lo Jik shook his head and pulled Williams closer. He smiled kindly. When he looked at this little Williams, he recalled his childhood memories. His parents were surely shitty, but he always made the best use of his surroundings. He recalled the first time he gained an achievement when his crush gave him a kiss on his birthday.
Stationery.
He got stationery, for god's sake.
But those were also simpler times.
"Please don't get rid of me." Lo Jik's innocence begged pitifully.
"Don't be afraid. You were forced to endure so much for so long."
Little Williams' expression slowly grew calm as Lo Jik smiled warmly.
"Please, disappear and rest."
He clenched tight.
***
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